Yochi Fischer and Loaay Wattad — On Seeing the Trauma of the Other

Intergenerational trauma and healing in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict require acknowledging the inextricably intertwined histories of the Holocaust and the Nakba. Rather than competing for victimhood, which reinforces silence and denial, individuals must engage in "empathic unsettlement"—a state of being disturbed by the other's pain without necessarily identifying with it. Literature serves as a vital tool for this process, allowing for the expression of complex emotions that cognitive language often fails to capture. By moving beyond binary labels like "terrorist" and "freedom fighter," and instead focusing on specific human experiences, dialogue can persist even during periods of intense violence. Ultimately, maintaining the capacity for curiosity and compassion toward the other, even while rooted in one's own trauma, remains the only path toward imagining a shared future for the next generation.